CAA Teams Feeling Better

[henfan]

Perhaps a disappointing article for those hoping for a CAA breakup.

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=304681&ac=PHspt

[AshevilleApp2]

Perhaps a disappointing article for those hoping for a CAA breakup.

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=304681&ac=PHspt



Who would that be?

[Tribe4SF]

While we may see some additional changes to CAA Football membership, everyone involved recognizes that we've got a good thing going on. ODU's early experience shows clearly that they are going to be a very strong member. The jury's still out on how strong the Georgia State program will be, but they certainly will be a step up from Northeastern. As the New England members contemplate their options over the next few years, leaving the CAA will be a tough choice to make.

[Ud1Hens]

Who would that be?

Those with the arguments that the CAA is too large, the round robin schedules that avoid opponents helps pad their record, thusly granting more bids into the playoffs, etc. Come on, you couldn't have been asleep for those arguments, they dominate the board from August - December every year.

[blukeys]

Who would that be?

Fans of: Patriot League, NEC, Southern, Big Fluffy Sky, MVC............

[DFW HOYA]

CAA football is like Big East basketball. Those outside the league say it's too big and keep waiting for it to fail, those inside know they've got a good thing going and aren't looking to leave.

[Tribe4SF]

While we may see some additional changes to CAA Football membership, everyone involved recognizes that we've got a good thing going on. ODU's early experience shows clearly that they are going to be a very strong member. The jury's still out on how strong the Georgia State program will be, but they certainly will be a step up from Northeastern. As the New England members contemplate their options over the next few years, leaving the CAA will be a tough choice to make.

[blukeys]

CAA football is like Big East basketball. Those outside the league say it's too big and keep waiting for it to fail, those inside know they've got a good thing going and aren't looking to leave.

REPS!!!!!xthumbsupxxthumbsupxxthumbsupxxthumbsupxx thumbsupxxthumbsupxxthumbsupxxthumbsupxxthumbsupx

[andy7171]

CAA football is like Big East basketball. Those outside the league say it's too big and keep waiting for it to fail, those inside know they've got a good thing going and aren't looking to leave.

Excellent post! xthumbsupx

[mcveyrl]

Sounds like everybody stroked each other and they went away not knowing what's really going on.

Feel good story of the year...:D

FWIW, I hope the CAA stays together, I just find it hard to see how the financials work out for those four northeast schools. Like they said, you can't move Maine closer to Philly and Virginia. The only way they do it is by adding more money to the budget. And if they're willing to do that, then the problem's solved. If not, they've got to find another league.

[odubum]

Being I grew up in New England, was born in Rhode Island and spent many vacations in New Hampshire and Maine I tend to have an affinity for those states and the area in general. So it would be sad for me to see those Northeast teams leave for any reason. I am glad it looks like that will not happen.

[AshevilleApp2]

Fans of: Patriot League, NEC, Southern, Big Fluffy Sky, MVC............

And that's where you are wrong. Only the CAA fan base obsesses about the CAA. xnodx

[blukeys]

And that's where you are wrong. Only the CAA fan base obsesses about the CAA. xnodx

Then maybe those other fan bases such as the Southern folks would just ignore all CAA threads and keep to themselves. Obviously you are proof of that never happenning. xlolxxlolxxnodxxnodxxnodxxnodxxnodx

[yorkcountyUNHfan]

Being I grew up in New England, was born in Rhode Island and spent many vacations in New Hampshire and Maine I tend to have an affinity for those states and the area in general. So it would be sad for me to see those Northeast teams leave for any reason. I am glad it looks like that will not happen.

I will buy you a beer when you travel to Durham to see ODU play!

[WyomingGrizFan]

Those with the arguments that the CAA is too large, the round robin schedules that avoid opponents helps pad their record, thusly granting more bids into the playoffs, etc. Come on, you couldn't have been asleep for those arguments, they dominate the board from August - December every year.

Now that you mentioned it.

I've never really took much umbrage to those types of arguments; what is, is. Granted, I think nine teams with eigth conference games and three to four OOC games a regular season are pretty standards nowadays, or at least, should be. At least for an FCS Conference that has an automatic bid into a Playoff system. Ten is pretty much and, as you stated, the avoidance of opponents helping pad the record sort of deal does seem to bare credence. FWIW. But, so what. It's not as if the CAA is a weak conference to begin with. Expanding to 20 makes me ponder, though.

I don't know why, though, with the loss of Northeastern & Hofstra, that the CAA has to have Old Dominion & Georgia St join. Couldn't they just as well have joined a different conference?.. in order to insure parity amongst all FCS members. Ten teams a conference is pretty much; twelve is even more so.

I, for my part, wouldn't mind it at all if the Big Sky and the Great West joined together to form one conference; but that would make it fourteen teams. Besides which, Sacramento St and U C Davis members of the same conference when they're only a couple miles away from each other? There's enough of a rivalry there without mixing in bad blood and the reprecussions that might evolve into. Not that I think they'd go the way of the SF 49ers and Raiders fans shooting at each other sort of deal. But...

Just some random thoughts, I guess. Hope all works out for all concerned.

[ccd494]

I don't know why, though, with the loss of Northeastern & Hofstra, that the CAA has to have Old Dominion & Georgia St join. Couldn't they just as well have joined a different conference?.. in order to insure parity amongst all FCS members. Ten teams a conference is pretty much; twelve is even more so.

ODU and GSU are all sports members of the CAA. So no, they just as well couldn't have.

[Sader87]

I'll bet you a Maine (or a Massachusetts) lobster dinner that neither Maine nor UMass ever play Georgia St in football.

[yorkcountyUNHfan]

I'll bet you a Maine (or a Massachusetts) lobster dinner that neither Maine nor UMass ever play Georgia St in football.

ever?

[HenZoneNation]

And that's where you are wrong. Only the CAA fan base obsesses about the CAA. xnodx

That's not true at all...just go back to some of the threads created during the post season by non-CAA posters and you will see how wrong you are. We're on everyone's mind.

[ThompsonThe]

Then maybe those other fan bases such as the Southern folks would just ignore all CAA threads and keep to themselves. Obviously you are proof of that never happenning. xlolxxlolxxnodxxnodxxnodxxnodxxnodx

Actually we find it pretty amusing that the entire conference sits around telling each other how wonderful they are.

Never seen any conference so conceited. I feel like some of you guys need to get a room.

[89Hen]

Granted, I think nine teams with eigth conference games and three to four OOC games a regular season are pretty standards nowadays, or at least, should be.
FWIW...

Patriot = 7
Big South = 7
Southland = 8
MEAC = 10

Add in the CAA and half the conferences with autos next year are not a tidy 9. Even the OVC has a scheduling quirk where all 9 don't play each other. The SoCon, MVFC, Big Sky and NEC only recently got to 9. xpeacex

[89Hen]

Actually we find it pretty amusing that the entire conference sits around telling each other how wonderful they are.

Never seen any conference so conceited. I feel like some of you guys need to get a room.
We have one... it's in Chattanooga. :p

[Jackman]

I'll bet you a Maine (or a Massachusetts) lobster dinner that neither Maine nor UMass ever play Georgia St in football.

I'd take that bet if I wasn't jinxed. What would probably happen is they'd play UNH, URI and the rest of the CAA North, but leave for FBS before they cycled to the UM's.

[yorkcountyUNHfan]

Actually we find it pretty amusing that the entire conference sits around telling each other how wonderful they are.

Never seen any conference so conceited. I feel like some of you guys need to get a room.

Actually for the last few weeks the talk has been about what the future will bring to the CAA now that Hofstra and Northeastern have dropped football...info/talk I find very interesting.

[srgrizizen]

That's not true at all...just go back to some of the threads created during the post season by non-CAA posters and you will see how wrong you are. We're on everyone's mind.

Right on. It's the only suspense we have to ponder out here: Which CAA team is going to beat Montana in the next NC? xlolxxlolx

[ThompsonThe]

We have one... it's in Chattanooga. :p

Yeah, as long as you don't have to play Appalachian State, you have a chance.

I believe that the CAA mascot should be one large GEODUCK !

[MR. CHICKEN]

Yeah, as long as you don't have to play Appalachian State, you have a chance.

I believe that the CAA mascot should be one large GEODUCK !

MO' CHANCE.......IFIN' FAT,DUMB,SLOW...MEAC STRIPES.......AIN'T WOIKIN'....AGIN' YA......xprayx.....BRAWK/OBAMA/BIDEN/KEELER!!

[89Hen]

Yeah, as long as you don't have to play Appalachian State, you have a chance.
Good thing Armanti 'Chattanooga' Edwards is graduating. xthumbsupx Will he be Jerry Moore's John Elway? xeyebrowx

[UncleSam]

Actually we find it pretty amusing that the entire conference sits around telling each other how wonderful they are.

Never seen any conference so conceited. I feel like some of you guys need to get a room.

Apparently you weren't checking out I-AA boards in the late '90's and in the early 00's. The SoCon posters were just as boastful and even more annoying than the current CAA people.

Now the worm has turned and the good ole boys don't like it. :p

[89Hen]

Apparently you weren't checking out I-AA boards in the late '90's and in the early 00's. The SoCon posters were just as boastful and even more annoying than the current CAA people.

Now the worm has turned and the good ole boys don't like it. :p
Very true. But back then it was at least a good debate. It's so lopsided now that even CAA fans are getting tired of the discussion. xwhistlex :p

[dukie]

I would like to see Maine, URI and UMass find a northeast conference. It just seems to make sense for them. As the southern schools continue to spend more money on facilities etc., the gap with the northern schools will grow.

I don't like the 12 team alignment because a weaker northern school almost always takes a bid from a southern school. A 9 team conference is perfect.

I am not looking for the northern schools to be hurt in this transition. I honestly believe it is in their best interest to find a conference with more like minded schools. Having to keep up with the Joneses is going to break the bank of the northern schools that can not seem to acquire the fan interest necessary to competitively fund their football programs in the future.

I do hope the administration at UD does not decide to follow the north model. They have the football fan base to continue to move forward with the southern schools. Nova on the other hand does not.

[89Hen]

I would like to see Maine, URI and UMass find a northeast conference. It just seems to make sense for them. As the southern schools continue to spend more money on facilities etc., the gap with the northern schools will grow.

I don't like the 12 team alignment because a weaker northern school almost always takes a bid from a southern school. A 9 team conference is perfect.

I am not looking for the northern schools to be hurt in this transition. I honestly believe it is in their best interest to find a conference with more like minded schools. Having to keep up with the Joneses is going to break the bank of the northern schools that can not seem to acquire the fan interest necessary to competitively fund their football programs in the future.

I do hope the administration at UD does not decide to follow the north model. They have the football fan base to continue to move forward with the southern schools. Nova on the other hand does not.
xnodx But don't worry, although the UD administration may be stubborn, slow and cheap, the Hens were the original Joneses and will always be there.

[dukie]

I sure hope so. I have enjoyed the rivalry with UD and my trips to Newark. UD has a great football history. They have the money to not only keep up but lead the way. I can't understand why they are not improving facilities now. Hen stadium reminds me a lot of UR Stadium. It is old and run down.

[89Hen]

Hen stadium reminds me a lot of UR Stadium. It is old and run down.
Yes and no. The stadium was never state of the art and never had top notch facilities. It's the fact that 22,000 people sit in it, all close to the field, that makes it a great place. It's also surrounded by other athletic facilities and some other amenities. City Stadium was just as much a dump (a little worse being so lopsided with that stupid horseshoe visitors side) and in the middle of nothing but rowhomes. I'd say the Tub is 10x nicer than City. xpeacex

[yorkcountyUNHfan]

Yes and no. The stadium was never state of the art and never had top notch facilities. It's the fact that 22,000 people sit in it, all close to the field, that makes it a great place. It's also surrounded by other athletic facilities and some other amenities. City Stadium was just as much a dump (a little worse being so lopsided with that stupid horseshoe visitors side) and in the middle of nothing but rowhomes. I'd say the Tub is 10x nicer than City. xpeacex

As a visitor that's been to both the Tub is much much (10 - 15 -20x) better to watch the game. Very close to the action.

Now if this was a sundresses in the tailgate debatexwhistlex

[Wildcat80]

I would like to see Maine, URI and UMass find a northeast conference. It just seems to make sense for them. As the southern schools continue to spend more money on facilities etc., the gap with the northern schools will grow.

I don't like the 12 team alignment because a weaker northern school almost always takes a bid from a southern school. A 9 team conference is perfect.

I am not looking for the northern schools to be hurt in this transition. I honestly believe it is in their best interest to find a conference with more like minded schools. Having to keep up with the Joneses is going to break the bank of the northern schools that can not seem to acquire the fan interest necessary to competitively fund their football programs in the future.

I do hope the administration at UD does not decide to follow the north model. They have the football fan base to continue to move forward with the southern schools. Nova on the other hand does not.

I sense ALOT of changes coming. Obviously Hof & NE was the start. JMU & others will go FBS. Fordham & others to schollies will change the possibilities in the Northeast for a new conference. Travel costs will be a big topic of discussion at budget time. UNH with updated facilities will survive & thrive. xnodx

[Jackman]

I don't like the 12 team alignment because a weaker northern school almost always takes a bid from a southern school.

Please elaborate.

[LeadBolt]

Please elaborate.

Maine being picked over W&M in 2008
UNH being picked over Villanova in 2007

[Jackman]

Ah yes, those two 7-4 CAA South teams.

07 Nova and 07 UNH had exactly the same seasons except UNH had the best win (Marshall) and worst loss (Northeastern). The committee went with the team with the FBS win. Both were lucky to even be considered with 4 losses.

08 W&M and 08 Maine was a 7-4 team vs. a 8-4 team, and the 7-4 team had one win against a team with a .500 or better record all season. It happened to be a great win, the best of either team, and I'd have given W&M the edge based on that, but the committee went with the team with 8 wins instead of the team with 7 wins. Next time don't schedule 11 games when everyone else is scheduling 12. Once again, both teams were lucky to even be in the discussion.

There are 9 members on the FCS Playoffs Selection committee, each from a different conference in FCS. The idea that 8 of them give a flying ***** whether the CAA North has as much playoff representation as the CAA South could only have been hatched by someone sniffing paint. If they were going to play favorites, they'd probably have done something about half of all at large bids going to CAA teams the past 3 years. But I guess they all set aside their own personal interests to assure that the poor ol' CAA North, population 6 (now 4), got extra teams into the tournament. Makes sense.

[Wildcat80]

Maine being picked over W&M in 2008
UNH being picked over Villanova in 2007

They got both exactly right. GO UNH!!xlolx

[Tribe4SF]

There are 9 members on the FCS Playoffs Selection committee, each from a different conference in FCS. The idea that 8 of them give a flying ***** whether the CAA North has as much playoff representation as the CAA South could only have been hatched by someone sniffing paint. If they were going to play favorites, they'd probably have done something about half of all at large bids going to CAA teams the past 3 years. But I guess they all set aside their own personal interests to assure that the poor ol' CAA North, population 6 (now 4), got extra teams into the tournament. Makes sense.

xrolleyesx A committee with a certain UMass AD as chair who assured W&M the previous winter that the committee would not punish teams who chose to play 11 games that year. He then cited the eighth win by Maine as the tipping point. I'm sure you remember who Maine played to get that extra win.

[AppMan]

By no means do I pretend to know all the love you CAA schools have for one another and a willingness to hang on to "the best-branded, the strongest and most visible league at this level of football," I do understand the economics of flying teams from Maine to Georgia.

[JohnStOnge]

Those with the arguments that the CAA is too large, the round robin schedules that avoid opponents helps pad their record, thusly granting more bids into the playoffs, etc. Come on, you couldn't have been asleep for those arguments, they dominate the board from August - December every year.

I honestly don't remember seeing a lot of that. Actually I don't remember seeing any of it. I'm sure it happened. But in general I don't think there are a whole lot of people worried about how large the CAA is. What concerns me more is that a certain other league located in a more talent-laden area of the country can't step it up and be at least as competetive nationally as the CAA is.

[LeadBolt]

xrolleyesx A committee with a certain UMass AD as chair who assured W&M the previous winter that the committee would not punish teams who chose to play 11 games that year. He then cited the eighth win by Maine as the tipping point. I'm sure you remember who Maine played to get that extra win.

Funny how the beneficiaries of having their AD's on the committee overlook that as well as head to head vs. people like UNH and UR....

[UNH Fanboi]

Funny how the beneficiaries of having their AD's on the committee overlook that as well as head to head vs. people like UNH and UR....

I think the committee clearly got it wrong with respect to W&M and Maine in 2008, but they probably got it right with respect to UNH and Nova in 2007 (At the very least there's no clear argument that Nova definitely should have gotten the spot. UNH and Nova both lost to JMU, Richmond and UMass. Both beat Delaware. UNH beat an FBS, but lost to Northeastern. I think it's certainly fair to use the FBS win to tip the scales).

Therefore, I don't think it fair to say that there was some sort of affirmative action towards the North taking spots from the South, especially since the ADs from all the other conferences had no reason to be biased in those decisions. I would find it hard to believe that the AD of UMass or whoever else from the CAA was on the committee would have swayed everyone else to benefit the CAA North.

[Hoyadestroya85]

I don't know if I'll get sick of CAA talk, especially because Villanova is the defending CAA and national champions.

[89Hen]

I honestly don't remember seeing a lot of that. Actually I don't remember seeing any of it. I'm sure it happened. But in general I don't think there are a whole lot of people worried about how large the CAA is.
The contingent may not be large, but they are vocal.

[LeadBolt]

I think the committee clearly got it wrong with respect to W&M and Maine in 2008, but they probably got it right with respect to UNH and Nova in 2007 (At the very least there's no clear argument that Nova definitely should have gotten the spot. UNH and Nova both lost to JMU, Richmond and UMass. Both beat Delaware. UNH beat an FBS, but lost to Northeastern. I think it's certainly fair to use the FBS win to tip the scales).

Therefore, I don't think it fair to say that there was some sort of affirmative action towards the North taking spots from the South, especially since the ADs from all the other conferences had no reason to be biased in those decisions. I would find it hard to believe that the AD of UMass or whoever else from the CAA was on the committee would have swayed everyone else to benefit the CAA North.

As long as there is a selection process there will be debate. As long as humans are involved there will be influence, differences of opinion and errors, it is inherent to the process.

You guys run a strong program and are always a tough opponent.